Electric pressure canner with digital control

Abstract

A digital pressure canner and related methods of operation that provide for improved safety and consistency during a food canning process by reducing temperature over and undershoot. The digital pressure canner includes a digital control operating with inputs from digital sensors to accurately control the canning temperature during the canning process. By reducing over and undershoot of canning temperatures, foods within the pressure canner are maintained at temperatures sufficient to kill any bacteria or microorganisms for the entire canning cycle. In order to verify operation of the digital canner at sufficient canning temperatures, mechanical safety devices, for example, a pressure relief valve can be utilized in conjunction with digital controllers and sensors to provide audible and visual feedback to a user during the canning process.

1 . A removable pressure canner lid assembly, the lid assembly comprising:
 a sensor bore adapted to receive a sensor housing rotatably affixed to a pressure vessel body when the lid assembly is secured to the vessel body;   a locking mechanism, the locking mechanism comprising an elongated member in communication with a locking pin, the elongated member comprising a bottom pin surface which is biased by a pressure located in a chamber formed between the vessel body and the lid assembly, the bias causing the locking pin to prevent removal of the sensor housing from the sensor bore; and   wherein the lid assembly cannot be removed from the vessel body while the sensor housing is received by the sensor bore.   
     
     
         2 . The removable pressure canner lid assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of recesses, each recess adapted to receive a tab formed in the vessel body, wherein securing the lid assembly to the vessel body is performed by rotation of the lid assembly relative to the vessel body. 
     
     
         3 . The removable pressure canner lid assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a pressure relief bore to which a pressure relieve valve is affixed. 
     
     
         4 . A pressure canner, comprising:
 a vessel body, the vessel body comprising:
 an external shell, the external shell further comprising:
 a sensor housing in a rotatable mechanical connection to the external shell; 
 a sensor positioned within the sensor housing; 
 a heating element; and 
 a controller in electronic communication with the sensor and the heating element; 
 
   a lid assembly, the lid assembly comprising a sensor bore adapted to receive the sensor housing when the lid assembly is affixed to the vessel body.   
     
     
         5 . The pressure canner of  claim 4 , wherein the lid assembly further comprises a locking mechanism, the locking mechanism comprising an elongated member in communication with a locking pin, the elongated member comprising a bottom pin surface which is biased by a pressure located in a chamber formed between the vessel body and the lid assembly, the bias causing the locking pin to prevent removal of the sensor housing from the sensor bore. 
     
     
         6 . The pressure canner of  claim 5 , wherein the lid assembly cannot be removed from the vessel body when the sensor housing is positioned in the sensor bore. 
     
     
         7 . The pressure canner of  claim 4 , wherein the lid assembly further comprises a plurality of recesses, each recess adapted to receive a tab formed in the vessel body whereupon rotation of the lid assembly relative to the vessel body secures the lid assembly to the vessel body. 
     
     
         8 . The pressure canner of  claim 7 , wherein rotation of the lid assembly causes the sensor bore to align with the sensor probe such that the sensor probe is insertable into the sensor bore. 
     
     
         9 . The pressure canner of  claim 8 , wherein the lid assembly cannot be rotated relative to the vessel body while the sensor housing is inserted in the sensor bore. 
     
     
         10 . The pressure canner of  claim 8 , further comprising a locking mechanism, the locking mechanism comprising an elongated member in communication with a locking pin, the elongated member comprising a bottom pin surface which is biased by a pressure located in a chamber formed between the vessel body and the lid assembly, the bias causing the locking pin to prevent removal of the sensor housing from the sensor bore. 
     
     
         11 . The pressure canner of  claim 10 , wherein the lid assembly cannot be rotated relative to the vessel body while the sensor housing is inserted in the sensor bore. 
     
     
         12 . The pressure canner of  claim 4 , wherein the lid assembly further comprises a pressure relief bore and a pressure relief valve mounted to the pressure relieve bore. 
     
     
         13 . The pressure canner of  claim 4 , wherein the controller comprises a stored program define temperature setpoints and times required for processing food being canned by the pressure canner. 
     
     
         14 . The pressure canner of  claim 4 , wherein the sensor housing comprises a sealing member for sealably engaging the sensor bore when the sensor housing is positioned in the sensor bore. 
     
     
         15 . A method of canning foodstuffs comprising:
 placing foodstuffs to be canned in an interior canning area located within a housing of a pressure canner;   positioning a lid assembly on the housing such that a plurality of recesses formed in the lid assembly align with a plurality of tabs formed in the housing;   affixing the lid assembly to the housing by rotating the lid assembly relative to the housing until a sensor probe attached to the housing aligns with a sensor bore formed in the lid assembly;   causing the sensor probe to enter the sensor bore;   causing a pressure of the interior canning area to increase;   processing the foodstuffs using the pressure and heat applied to the interior canning area for a predetermined amount of time.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the step of causing pressure found in the interior canning area to increase comprises the substeps of:
 applying a power source to the pressure canner such that a processor of the pressure canner receives instructions which when executed by the processor applies power from the power source to a heating element, raising a temperature of the interior canning area, the raised temperature causing the pressure of the interior canning area to increase;   activating a locking mechanism which prevents removal of the sensor probe from the sensor bore.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the step of preventing the sensor probe from being removed from the sensor bore also prevents the lid assembly from being removed from the housing of the pressure canner. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the step of activating the locking mechanism comprises the substeps of:
 receiving by a bottom pin surface of an elongated member of the locking mechanism, a bias caused by the pressure of the interior canning area;   raising a locking pin connected to the elongated member such that the locking pin prevents removal of the sensor probe.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the step of preventing the sensor probe from being removed from the sensor bore also prevents the lid assembly from being removed from the housing of the pressure canner. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising locating a sealing member at a junction of the sensor probe and the sensor bore.